A d o r a t i o n E v a n g e l i c a l L u t h e r a n C h u r c h ETCE ERA... O u r M i s s i o n C o n t i n u e s PASTOR Rev. Tim Singleton Office: 414-281-0414 Mobile: 414-345-7368 Email: adorationpastor@gmail.com STAFF Lori Hamilton... Secretary Office: 414-281-0414 Email: adorationelca@hotmail.com Barb Regent...Music Director Email: regent@execpc.com Janet McGinty...Choir Director Email: smcginty@wi.rr.com October 29, 2017 9:00 A.M. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. (Ephesians 2: 8-10) Saved and Redeemed in Christ!!! Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation 1517 2017 OFFICE HOURS Monday-Thursday...9:00-2:00 PASTOR S NORMAL WEEKDAY OFFICE HOURS Tuesday, Wednesday...9:30-2:30 Thursday...9:30-12:30 Friday...12:00-2:30 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Reformation Sunday... Pg 1 From the Pastor... Pg 2 Church Council Highlights... Pg 3 Fall Stewardship... Pg 3 Our Adoration Family... Pg 4 Birthdays & Anniversaries... Pg 4 Reformation Events... Pg 5 Meru & Mulala... Pg 6 Social Ministry... Pg 7 Kid s Page...Pg 8 October Calendar... Insert Worship Assistants... Insert OCTOBER 2017 VOLUME #22, ISSUE #8
REFORMATIONAL DO S & DON TS This month we commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation of Western Christianity during the period of transition from the Late Medieval timeframe into the Renaissance timeframe. For Lutherans and Catholics, this commemoration is one marked by sorrow for past sins against one another and by deep gratitude for the spiritual gifts we now offer to one another through Christ our Lord and Savior. As we are 21st Century reformational Christians, I offer you the following two areas of reformational do s and don'ts: INTERFAITH RELATIONS DO Regard all people as fellow children of God, made in the spiritual image of God. While recognizing that our Lord Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) is the fullest revelation and manifestation of God, we must be sure to look for and celebrate the Spirit of Jesus Christ within non-christian faiths. While Jesus is the Eternal Word of God incarnate in human flesh (John 1), be sure to seek to recognize the Seeds of the Word (Semina Verbi in Latin) that are scattered throughout the world. In other words, as I like to say, while Jesus is the full enchilada of the revelation of God s Heart, there are also slices of this Divine enchilada within other faiths as well. DON T When it comes to interfaith relations, it is a temptation to downplay our Christian theology and spirituality in order to be hospitable and friendly. It is tempting to say that all roads to God are equal. However, we cannot do this if we are to remain faithful to the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. The big question is, Will the real Jesus please stand up? Well, for some people Jesus is a prophet, and for some he is a buddha, and for some others he is a guru. However, the plain historical truth is that the people who know Jesus best are the people of the community that he and his Apostles founded, which is the Christian Church (including the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant branches of the Church). For Christians, Jesus is much more than all these titles convey. For us, Jesus is the Son of God and the Second Divine Person of God s Tri-Unity of One Divine Being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (The Holy Trinity of God reveals that God is not easily defined from our limited perspective and that God is fundamentally relational from within God s own Eternal Being). For us, Jesus is the DIVINE MESSIAH, our Eternal Prophet, Priest and King. For us, Jesus is LORD Jesus, not merely Prophet Jesus. Consequently, we can be understanding and respectful of other religions while at the same time holding firm to our profession of Trinitarian Christian faith and spirituality. CHRISTIAN CHURCH RELATIONS DO Start all interactions with Christians of different branches of the Church from a position of UNITY IN DIVERSITY. So much more unites us than differentiates us as fellow brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, the Christian Church. We share the same foundational, central and essential profession that Jesus the Christ (Yeshua Ha-Mashiach) is Lord and Savior, just as we have received from the very beginning at the Annunciation to Mary: The angel said to Mary, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35) We share in the same baptismal grace and faith of Almighty God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And we share in the same resurrection hope and charitable love of our Lord Jesus. DON T We must never see other branches of the Christian Church as alien to our own identity in Christ Jesus. For we are ONE BODY in Christ with many uniquely gifted members by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are ONE TREE in Christ, with many uniquely gifted branches reaching out in all directions Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, and so on. Together in Christ the Lord! Pastor Tim 2 ETCETERA Our Mission Continues
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS Here are some of the items discussed at the September Church Council meeting: Pastor Tim lead us in prayer, praying about our American freedom of faith and religious expression, and asking for blessings for all we do for mission and ministry. On September 23, Pastor Tim will be in Omaha, Nebraska, attending his son s wedding. On Saturday, September 30, there will be a new members class. Pastor Tim is encouraging all church members to fill out the leaflet and attend Churches Caring Together being held on October 14. A moisture issue in the southeast corner of the Gathering Space involving both the floor and ceiling needs to be addressed. Fall clean-up date is October 28. Notice will be put in the church bulletin for volunteers. On October 22, the Sunday School children will be doing a Reformation skit. On December 10, the Sunday School children will have a Christmas program along with the choir performing. The Evangelism cookie sale will occur December 16, it will coincide with the Christmas rummage sale. This month we will send $1,537.50 to the Meru Diocese. $337.50 of this money came from quarterly giving and $1,200.00 from the June book sale and personal gifts designated for Mulala. The Annual Budget Meeting and Commitment Sunday are the same day, November 12. Jim Haas is setting up stewardship temple talks. Sandy Eigner put together an estimated budget for the 2018 Youth Conference. The cost for each person is $1,400. $6,500 is in the account and so far 4 youth are currently planning on attending. The project manager for the road construction stated it will be 4-6 weeks before the grading will be done. We will need to wait for the grading to be done in front of the church before the sign can be installed. We will need the budgets for each of the committees by October 8. For more information on any or all of these items, please check the complete minutes of the meeting posted on the kiosk in the Gathering Space or contact one of your Council representatives. Faithful Giving is Faithful Living Stewardship 2018 Stewardship is using the gifts God has given us to do the work He is calling us to do. As we plan for the year 2018 here at Adoration, it is necessary for each of our members to consider as how he/she will use his/her gifts from God to support the life and work of our church. It s true no scripture says, Thou shalt fill out a commitment card annually to support the church. However, without your weekly offering, there would be no worship, no community of faith, no opportunities for bible study, no partnerships, not to mention our church building and the people who work here. Just as you and your family plan your lives according to the amount of income your receive, the church must also be able to plan how it will pay its bills and carry out its mission in 2018. During the months of October and early November, we will focus on supporting the ministry next year here at Adoration with our time, talents, and money. Giving materials for 2018 will be mailed out in early November. Take time to reflect, pray, and plan for your faithful giving and bring your commitment to worship on Sunday, November 12. ADORATION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 3
BIRTHDAYS 10/02 Kathy Albrecht 10/02 Justin Singleton 10/02 Michael Ziolkowski 10/03 Jayne Bednar 10/04 Hilary Singleton 10/05 Anand Kumar 10/09 Autumn Wilding 10/11 Michael Kerlin 10/12 Joyce Erenz 10/13 Jessica Hodgson 10/16 Betty Lazaris 10/18 Christopher Douangmala 10/18 Donald Weinert 10/19 Ty Behling 10/20 Jaclyn Kuzminski 10/22 Mary Siebert 10/23 Zackary Kerlin 10/24 Tyler Lang 10/26 David Cason 10/28 Dawn Davenport 10/28 Janette Kumar 10/31 Heather Stanic CONFIRMATION SUNDAY!!! Please join Jeremiah Faltersack, Owen Lewitzke, Luke Schneider and Grace Singleton on Reformation Sunday, October 29, as they publically affirm their Christian faith and God s baptismal convent. We congratulate them as they take this important step in their faith journey, and pray for God s continued guidance in their lives. Fall Clean-Up October 28 Can you lend a hand for a couple hours on Saturday, to help us clean-up the church and church grounds? We will begin at 9:30 AM and finish up by noon. See Matt Nichols for questions. Spread the Love Sunday October 22 The Evangelism Committee invites you to bring in a special food offering of peanut butter and jelly to be donated to local food ministries. We are trying to spread the love of food to less fortunate families. 10/09 Justin & Natasha Sneesby 10/19 Joe & Joani Bettin 10/21 Sean & Janet McGinty 10/25 Jay & Kerry Lindahl 10/28 Larry & Sandy Ringwall 10/30 Randy & Lisa Voegeli 4 ANNIVERSARIES DINERS CLUB UPDATE We had a wonderful turn out for our first meal. 33 individuals came out for a fun evening of great conversation and fellowship. We plan to meet again in November. Watch for upcoming dates printed in the bulletin announcements if you would like to join us. See Kathy Albrecht for questions. AAA MEMBERS Mark your calendar for our next meetings: + October 3 at 2:30 PM + November 7 at 1:00 PM + December 5 at Noon (Christmas potluck & gift exchange) ETCETERA Our Mission Continues What: Trunk or Treat When: Sunday, October 29th from 3pm 5pm Where: Adoration Parking Lot and Fellowship Hall Looking for a FUN afternoon? Come and join us on Sunday for our 1 st Adoration Trunk or Treat event! What is Trunk or Treat? Trunk or Treat is an event, typically held in the parking lot of a school, church, or community center, in which a group of trusted adults decorate the trunks of their cars for Halloween and pass out candy to children of friends and family. It makes for a safer environment (with less walking) and allows you to host even more fun, like contests and games and dance parties. The Trunk or Treat will be in the church parking lot and everyone will be invited to come inside the fellowship hall for snacks, games, and a dance party. We need volunteers to decorate their cars and hand out candy. We also need volunteers to help in the kitchen and running games inside. If you are interested in helping with the event, please contact Jessica Dudzik. The more families that participate the more fun it will be! SAVE-THE-DATE... A Cup of Christmas Tea Advent by Candlelight Sunday, November 26, 2017 A night for women to center themselves in preparation of Jesus birth. If you are interested in hosting a table for this event, please contact Janet McGinty at 414-699-5989.
REFORMATION 500th ANNIVERSARY EVENTS Below is a list of events taking place in our Greater Milwaukee area over the next eight weeks. More information about each event can be found on the Synod website: Milwaukeesynod.org/reformation-events October 1, 2017 Beer & Hymns Petrifying Springs Biergarten 2-3:30pm October 15, 2017 Reformation Organ Concert with John Behnke Mt. Zion Lutheran Church 2-3:30pm October 21, 2017 Reformation Concert with mass chorus and orchestra Holy Cross Lutheran Church 7pm October 22, 2017 Living Voices of the Gospel: A Festival of Hymns St. Luke Lutheran 4-5:30pm October 28, 2017 Reformation Celebration 500 Years in the Making Martin Luther Lutheran Church 5pm October 31, 2017 Prayer Service to Commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Ascension Lutheran Church 7-8:30pm November 9, 2017 Luther, a play by John Osborne Our Savior s Lutheran Church 7:30pm December 3, 2017 The Reformation in Africa St. Mary s Lutheran Church 9:15-10:15am Quotes By MARTIN LUTHER From the beginning of my Reformation I have asked God to send me neither dreams, nor visions, nor angels, but to give me the right understanding of His Word, the Holy Scriptures; for as long as I have God's Word, I know that I am walking in His Way and that I shall not fall into any error or delusion. The true treasure of the Church is the most Holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God. I simply taught, preached and wrote God s Word; otherwise I did nothing. And while I slept, or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philipp and Amsdorf, the Word...did everything. Our good works do not generate righteousness, rather our righteousness in Christ generates good works. The whole being of any Christian is faith and love. Faith brings the person to God, love brings the person to people. God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars. ADORATION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 5
PARTNERS IN MINISTRY MERU & MULALA News from Mulala Parish I received these photos Monday, from Siry Reuben, the communication liaison for Mulala s Partnership Committee. On Sunday, September 10, they were celebrating the Central District Youth and Singing day where many choirs from the District parishes were singing. The best choir from each category was selected. The Youth choir from Songoro, Mixed choir from Makumira, Instrumental choir from Mulala and traditional Choir from Mulala will represent the Central District at the Diocese level, which is expected to be held on October 8, 2017. He thanked us for our support and our commitment for the people of Mulala. This month we will send $1537.50 with the Synod wire transfer to the Meru Diocese, schedule for September 15. This includes our quarterly giving of $337.50 and $1200 from the June book sale and personal gifts designated for Mulala. Their Partnership team will meet to determine the best way to distribute those funds to meet the needs of the parish members and preaching points. Siry Reuben did let me know that the last fund we forwarded to Mulala in May was distributed to educating the poorest children and the new preaching point Mwaaseny building. Traditional Choir from Mulala Instrumental Choir from Mulala Meru Day of Prayer, Sunday, September 17, 2017 What a beautiful day we had to worship outside and celebrate not only our partnership with Mulala, but also the Meru Diocese. The service was filled with music and prayers for our brothers and sisters in Tanzania. Thank you to all who gave towards the love offering. The two areas of greatest need at this time in the Diocese is for either Nkoaranga Hospital or the Professional Education Fund which helps with tuition costs for teachers and seminarians. A little over $400 was donated and we will divide the funds between these two needs. 20 th Anniversary In 2019, we will not only celebrate the 60 th anniversary of Adoration, but also the 20 th anniversary with Mulala. To commemorate this special event, I would like to take a delegation to Tanzania during the summer of 2019. There will be an information meeting on Wednesday, October 4 at 7pm for anyone interested. Respectfully submitted, Janet McGinty - Partnership Chairperson 6 ETCETERA Our Mission Continues
SOCIAL MINISTRY Together, we touch lives! Lutheran World Relief Thank you for your donations of school supplies! Your gifts to Lutheran World Relief give children in need a chance to succeed in school. Special thanks to Judy Goodwin for coordinating and organizing the school supplies. Our donations will be delivered on the 14th of October. Divine Intervention A big thank you to the Haas and Stefanski families for serving dinner to our homeless neighbors on Friday, October 6. Greater Milwaukee CROP Hunger Walk Sunday, October 8 Registration: 12:00 PM Walk: 1:30 PM The CROP walk is an interfaith effort to take a stand against local and world poverty and hunger needs. Beginning at the McKinley Marina located at Milwaukee s lakefront, hundreds of people come together to walk in support of this battle. Walkers can cover the short route of about 2 miles. Then enjoy live music until 3:45 pm. How can you help if you are unable to walk? + SUPPORT a walker with a pledge of money. + PRAY for the walkers and those for whom we walk. + DONATE to our food cart on Sunday, October 8. (Our contributions will be delivered to the Ascension Food Pantry) Communities Reaching Out to People Southwest Interfaith Their mission is to link older adults with a caring community. Volunteers are needed to: Provide rides to the grocery store, doctor s appointments or other errands. Churches Caring Together Saturday, October 14 In celebration of our Ecumenical ties to each other, the churches of the Green Corners are coming together for a Day of Service to our community. The Goal is simple to have 300 people from all of our churches gather together to complete a variety of service projects in Greenfield, Greendale, and Hales Corners. This event is sponsored by all of the churches that participate in the Green Corners Ecumenical Group and Thrivent Financial for Christians. We will come together on October 14 at St. Luke s Church for a time of prayer. Then we will be sent out into the community. We will regather at noon for a communal meal, during which time we will celebrate our accomplishments. A Brief Schedule 8:30-9:00 AM Gathering at St. Luke s Church 9:00 AM Brief morning prayer and commissioning 9:30 AM Journey to worksites Noon Return to St. Luke s for a community meal and music Help with minor household repairs. Lend a hand with yard work or snow removal in the winter. Volunteering is flexible (when you are available). There are no set hours or set times (unless you want them). Simply call the Interfaith office at 414-421-3678 if you would like to help. See Judy Goodwin or Betty Wing, our SW Representatives, if you have any questions. World Hunger Congregational giving makes up the largest percentage of giving. Your special offerings help the ELCA respond to the needs of communities in the United States and around the world. Year-to-Date offerings of $1,965.43 Thank you! ADORATION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 7
Adoration Lutheran Church 3840 W. Edgerton Avenue Greenfield, WI 53221 Phone: (414) 281-0414 Fax: (414) 281-1094 Email: adorationelca@hotmail.com Website: adorationlc.org Facebook: facebook.com/ adorationlutheran Pastor: Rev. Tim Singleton Worship Times: Sunday Morning... 9:00 AM Wednesday Evening... 6:15 PM OCTOBER 2017 Non-Profit U.S. POSTAGE PAID Milwaukee, WI Permit No. 2449 Address Service Requested OCTOBER 2017 Volume #22, Number #8 Published Monthly Dated Material Please Expedite Mission Statement: Living in God s love we share the good news of Jesus through spirited worship, serving God in our daily lives, creating a welcoming space to all, providing outreach, educating the young and old, and creating worldwide partnerships. Reconciling in Christ: Adoration Evangelical Lutheran Church identifies itself as a Reconciling in Christ congregation and publicly welcomes all persons to full membership and participation in the ministry we share without regard to race, ethnicity, social status, ability, gender identity or sexual orientation. KIDS PAGE